Planing apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus having upper and lower rotary cutter heads for planing stock advanced therethrough. The stock is uniformly gripped and advanced by opposed pairs of roller assemblies regardless of irregularities or variations in the thickness of the stock. Each roller assembly pair includes a plurality of axially aligned, pneumatic tires coupled together for rotation by keyed hub members and driven by hydraulic means.

United States Patent 11 1 Edwards et al.

[ Apr. 3, 1973 [54] PLANING APPARATUS [76] Inventors: Raymond S.Edwards, Route 3, P.(). Box 481, Roxboro, NC. 27573; Thomas L. Guy,Route 6, PO. Box 188-84, Greensboro, N.C.27577 [22] Filed: Sept. 8, 1970[21] Appl. No.: 70,424

[52] US. Cl. ..144/1l6, 143/55 B, 144/242 K,

[51] Int. Cl ..B27c 1/12 [58] Field of Search 144/246 R, 242 C, 242 K,144/246A, 144/116; 143/55 R, 55 A, 55 B, 56

[56] 7 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 986,782 3/1911 Trogdon..144/246 A 5/1928 Johnson ..144/246 R 1,670,360 3,275,045 9/1966 Beeley..l44/246 R x FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 7/1942 Sweden ..l44/246 APrimary Examiner-Andrew R. Juhasz Assistant Examiner-James F. CoanAtt0rneyDavid Rabin [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus having upper and lowerrotary cutter heads for planing stock advanced therethrough. The stockis uniformly gripped and advanced by opposed pairs of roller assembliesregardless of irregularities or variations in the thickness of thestock. Each roller 'assembly pair includes a plurality of axiallyaligned, pneumatic tires coupled together for rotation by keyedhub-members and driven by hydraulic means.

' 2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENIEDAPRB [an 3.724517 SHEET 1 OF 3 I 22 INVENTORS RAYMOND S. EDWARDS THOMAS L. GUY

PATENTEU R 3 I975 SHEET 2 0F 3 FIG.3

INVENTORS RAYMOND Si. EDWARDS THOMAS L. GUY

PATENTED APR 3 I973 SHEET 3 [IF 3 FIG] FIG.8

.INVENTORS RAYMOND S.EDWARDS THOMAS L GUY PLANING APPARATUS supportedthereon for, supporting stock. as it is advanced through the machine by.pairs of infeed and outfeed roller assemblies. At least one infeed andoutfeed roller assembly is driven by hydraulic or other suitable motormeans for advancing the stock to and from cutter means positioned on theframe for engaging both the upper and lower surfaces of the advancingstock material. The cutters preferably are of the rotary type capable ofbeing adjusted to vary the degree of cut into the stock surfaces.

At least one roller assembly of each pair consists of a plurality ofwheels having resilient, pneumatic tires axially aligned with respect toa support shaft. Each tire is mounted upon a rim having an opening forreceiving the shaft therethrough. The rims of adjacent tires are coupledtogether for rotation by meansof hub members having interlocking lugsand fastener members which extend between hub members mounted onopposite sides of a rim, and through the rim itself. The inner coupledwheels are keyed to the driven shafts at locations outwardly of the endwheels. Alternatively, the wheels may be. fastened to hub members havingnon-round openings therein for rotation with the driven shaft.

Each roller assembly for engaging the upper and lower surfaces of astock may be positively driven by hydraulic motor. means, or only oneroller assembly of each pair may be driven.

One of the primary objects of the invention is the provision of a planerhaving means for accurately controlling and feeding stock materialtherethrough.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a planer forgripping and feeding stock material -by resilient roller assemblies toprevent damaging or marring of the stock. I

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a planerhaving improved stock feeding assemblies which result in higher qualityproduction.

One feature of the invention is the provision of roller assemblies for aplaner consisting of a plurality of readily changeable, axiallyinterconnected wheels mounted upon a driven shaft.

Another advantage of the invention is the provision of a feed rollerassembly having a series of pneumatic wheels which are sufficientlyresilient and yielding to uniformly feed the stock material.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, sideelevational view of the planer illustrating the infeed and outfeedupperroller assemblies and the hydraulic motor drive means;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary rearelevational view of the planer taken fromthe left hand side of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the planer taken alongthe side opposite to that of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic side elevational view of the planer illustratingthe opposed upper and lower pairs of infeed and outfeed rollerassemblies mounted on opposite sides of the rotary cutter assembly;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of a feed rollerassemblyillustrating one wheel in section and another wheel in brokenline configuration, and further illustrating the manner by which thewheels are secured to the shaft; e

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, perspective view of a wheel illustrating themanner for securing thereto the hubs having axially directed lugs;

FIG. 7 is a schematic, fragmentary side elevational view of a modifiedembodiment of the invention wherein all feed roller assemblies aredriven; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a wheel illustrating a modifiedembodiment of a means for mounting the wheels upon a driven shaft.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to FIGS. 1-3, themachine has a frame 10 including base members ,12 and verticallyextending spaced side members 14, the side members 14 being interconnected by cross members 16. Mounted upon the frame l0 by suitableconventional means is a table 18 for supporting and guiding stockmaterial S as it is ad vanced through the machine. Material is normallyfed into the machine in the direction of the arrow A, F IGS.

1 and 3;

An infeed mechanism 20 comprising a plurality of pairs of upper-andlower roller assemblies 24 and 26 extends between the frame side members14, 14 for engaging and feeding the stock S to a. cutter assembly 28.While the cutter assemblymay be of various forms and may plane bothsides or only one side of the stock S, in the preferred embodiment thecutter assembly includes rotary top and bottom cutter heads 30, 32, asshown by FIG. 4, for engaging both sides of the material S. The cutterheads 30 and 32 are driven by conventional electric motors 34, 36. Thedepth of cut on the stock S may be varied by adjusting the positions ofthe top and bottom cutter'heads with respect to the table 18 inaconventional manner. The top head pressure bar 38 and the tip of thechip breaker 40 are adjusted to a position tuated through conventionalmeans in response to rota-' tion of hand wheel 52 and shaft 54. Ayoke 55interconnects the support screws 50.

An outfeed mechanism 42 consisting of upper and lower opposed rollerassemblies 441, 46 withdraws the material S from the cutter assembly 28.The outfeed upper roller assembly also is vertically adjustable uponrotation of hand wheel 56 and support screw 58 in a manner similar tothe infeed roller assemblies 24.

The upper infeed and outfeed roller assemblies 24 and 4-4 aresubstantially identical, each including a series of axially alignedpneumatic wheels 60 driven by conventional hydraulic motors 62. Eachwheel 60 comprises a resilient tire 63 mounted upon the rim 64 andcapable of being inflated to the desired degree through a suitable checkvalve, not shown. The rim is provided with a central annular opening 66for receiving a shaft therethrough and a plurality of bolt receivingopenings 67, 68. Hub members 70, 72 each includes a cylindrical portion74 and a flat face 76, positioned in abutting relation with rim 64, andaxially directed lugs 78. Each hub cylindrical portion 74 is providedwith alternating bores 80 and threaded openings 82, as shown by FIG. 6,for receiving bolts 84, 86 therein. Bolts 86, which are spaced 180 apartextend through bores 80 of hub 70 and rim openings 67 and into threadedopenings 82 of hub 72. Similarly, bolts 84 extend through bores80 of hub72, rim openings 68 and into threaded openings 82 of the hub 70 to forma rigid wheel unit. A plurality of wheel and hub units with lugs 78 ininterlocking relation are positioned upon a shaft 88 which is supportedat each end upon the frame by-bearings 90. The wheels are keyed to theshaft 88 for rotation therewith by means of a hub 73 having lugs thereonwhich interlock with'lugs 78. Hub 73 is secured to shaft 88 by a key 92.A split collar 94 and spacer 96 may be positioned between the bearings90 and the outermost hub members 73.

The shafts 88 of all upper infeed and outfeed roller assemblies 24, 44are driven by hydraulic motors 62 located at one or both ends of eachshaft. The shafts 88 are secured for rotation with motor shaft 98 by acoupling arrangement 100.

In the embodiment illustrated by FIGS. 1-6, the lower infeed and oufieedroller assemblies 26 and 46 Y are substantially identical to the upperassemblies with the exception that the lower assembly wheels are idlersrather than being positively driven.

While FIGS. 1-6 illustrate the upper roller assemblies as being drivenand the lower assemblies as idlers, it is to be understood that theroller assemblies may be modified, utilizing the principals of theinvention. For example, only one of the upper infeed roller assemblies24 may be positively driven. In addition, rather than having pneumaticwheels, the lower infeed and/or outfeed roller assemblies may have rigidwheel members intercoupled in the same manner as the pneumatic wheels.

FIG. 7 illustrates still another embodiment of the invention wherein allroller assemblies are driven. The infeed upper and lower rollerassemblies 24, 26, as well as the outfeed upper and lower rollerassemblies 44, 46' are driven positively by motors 62'.

FIG. 8 relates to a modified arrangement for securing the wheel unitsincluding the tire 63, rim 64 and hubs 70', 72 to a shaft 88' driven bya hydraulic motor. The shaft intermediate portion has a hexagonal outerperiphery which extends through an annular opening, not shown in the rim64'. Hubs 70', 72' have an inner opening with a configuration conformingto the hexagonal shaft 88' thus preventing rotation of the hubs relativeto the shaft. Bolts 84, 86' secure the hubs and rim in assembledrelation in a manner previously described.

We claim:

1. In a planing machine, a frame, table means mounted upon said framefor supporting and directing stock material advanced through themachine, cutter means positioned in close proximity to said table meansfor planing material advanced through the machine, a plurality of pairsof opposed roller assemblies fric tionally engaging opposite sides ofthe material, at least one roller assembly of each pair being positivelydriven, said positively driven roller assemblies including a series ofpneumatic tire wheels, maintained in axial alignment upon a shaft, foruniformly gripping the material to obviate marring of the materialssurfaces, means for adjustably positioning at least one roller assemblyof each pair of roller assemblies relative to the table, fluid motormeans coupled to and uniformly driving the wheels of said positivelydriven roller assemblies, hub

members for rotatably securing together said pneumatic tire wheels, eachof said hub members having an opening provided therein for receiving ashaft, and a plurality of openings in parallel relation with respect tosaid shaft receiving opening for receiving fastening means.

2. In a planing machine as defined in claim 1, wherein a hub member issecured to opposite sides of each of said wheels, said opposed hubmembers between said wheels having axially directed lugs forinterlocking adjacent wheels.

1. In a planing machine, a frame, table means mounted upon said framefor supporting and directing stock material advanced through themachine, cutter means positioned in close proximity to said table meansfor planing material advanced through the machine, a plurality of pairsof opposed roller assemblies frictionally engaging opposite sides of thematerial, at least one roller assembly of each pair being positivelydriven, said positively driven roller assemblies including a series ofpneumatic tire wheels, maintained in axial alignment upon a shaft, foruniformly gripping the material to obviate marring of the material''ssurfaces, means for adjustably positioning at least one roller assemblyof each pair of roller assemblies relative to the table, fluid motormeans coupled to and uniformly driving the wheels of said positivelydriven roller assemblies, hub members for rotatably securing togethersaid pneumatic tire wheels, each of said hub members having an openingprovided therein for receiving a shaft, and a plurality of openings inparallel relation with respect to said shaft receiving opening forreceiving fastening means.
 2. In a planing machine as defined in claim1, wherein a hub member is secured to opposite sides of each of saidwheels, said opposed hub members between said wheels having axiallydirected lugs for interlocking adjacent wheels.